Dr Tim Cubitt

Research Interests

Causes and Prevention of Crime Crime Policy Police Administration, Procedures and Practice Law enforcement Terrorism

Dr Tim Cubitt

Associate Professor

School of Society and Culture

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.

Tim Cubitt is an Associate Professor of Criminology and Deputy-Director of the Australian Cybercrime Observatory. Tim's research focuses on child sexual exploitation, career ending police misconduct, and extremism. Prior to The University of Adelaide, Tim worked for the New South Wales Police Force, and the Australian Institute of Criminology. Tim's research into child sexual exploitation focuses on the dynamics of offending and victimisation especially when it is technlogically or financially enabled. His work on extremism considers the nature of online radicalisation, and conversion to extremist violence, and his work on police misconduct and corruption focuses on the application of quantitative, machine learning and network science measures to identify and disrupt patterns of career ending misconduct among law enforcement agencies across the world.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Chair, Lower Risk Human Research Ethics Committee University of Adelaide
2025 - ongoing Associate Professor University of Adelaide
2019 - 2025 Principal Research Analyst Australian Institute of Criminology
2015 - 2019 Senior Research Officer NSW Police Force
2013 - 2015 Researcher St. Vincents Hospital Alcohol & Drug Service

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2024 Award Outstanding Policing Research Award Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Australia -
2021 Award PhD Candidate Award Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Australia -

Date Institution name Country Title
Western Sydney University Australia PhD
Macquarie University Australia Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
UNSW Sydney Australia BA (Criminology)

Year Citation
2026 Cubitt, T. I. C., Brown, M., & Bland, M. (2026). Fire Without Smoke: Understanding Spontaneous Career Ending Police Misconduct. Police Quarterly, 27 pages.
DOI
2025 Cubitt, T., Napier, S., & Brown, R. (2025). Financial risk indicators of child sexual abuse live streaming: A proof of concept prediction model. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (718), 1-18.
DOI Scopus1
2025 Cahill, M., Cubitt, T., Wolbers, H., Napier, S., Ball, M., Hancock, J., & Broadhurst, R. (2025). Self-reported desistance and help-seeking approaches of child sexual offenders on the darknet.. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (716), 1-14.
DOI
2025 Cubitt, T. I. C., Napier, S. S., & Brown, R. (2025). Criminal Justice Predictors of Child Sexual Abuse Live Streaming. Victims & Offenders, 21(3), 1-17.
DOI WoS1
2025 Mathews, B., Do, H. P., Lawrence, D. M., Madzoska, M., Higgins, D. J., Scott, J. G., . . . Napier, S. (2025). Association Between Childhood Maltreatment and Adult Intimate Partner Violence Victimisation: Findings From a National Survey in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-39.
DOI
2025 Cubitt, T. I. C., & Gaub, J. E. (2025). Characteristics of Serious Police Misconduct: Discerning Typologies in Three Agencies. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 52(8), 1260-1278.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2025 Mathews, B., Walsh, K., Finkelhor, D., Parvin, K., Burton, M., Nicholas, M., . . . Flynn, A. (2025). Disclosure of online child sexual victimisation: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 165, 107493-1-107493-13.
DOI
2025 Walsh, K., Mathews, B., Parvin, K., Smith, R., Burton, M., Nicholas, M., . . . Tran, N. (2025). Prevalence and characteristics of online child sexual victimization: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 160, 107186-1-107186-12.
DOI Scopus8 WoS10 Europe PMC5
2025 Mathews, B., Hegarty, K., Macmillan, H., Madzoska, M., Erskine, H., Pacella, R., . . . Cubitt, T. (2025). The prevalence of intimate partner violence in Australia: a national survey. Medical Journal of Australia, 222(9), 440-448.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2025 Frederick, A., Connealy, N. T., & Cubitt, T. (2025). Safe consumption sites and crime: A staggered synthetic control evaluation of Toronto’s expanding safe consumption site network. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 39 pages.
DOI
2025 Wolbers, H., Cubitt, T., Napier, S., Cahill, M., Nicholas, M., Burton, M., & Giunta, K. (2025). Sexual extortion of Australian adolescents: Results from a national survey. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (712), 1-25.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Wolbers, H., Cubitt, T., Carter, R., & Napier, S. (2025). The impacts of sexual extortion on minors: A systematic review. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (710), 1-16.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2025 Gaub, J. E., & Cubitt, T. I. C. (2025). Reforming the management of serious misconduct: a temporal analysis of the NYPD. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 19, paaf011-1-paaf011-11.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2025 Wolbers, H., Cubitt, T., & Cahill, M. (2025). Artificial intelligence and child sexual abuse: A rapid evidence assessment. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (711), 1-18.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4
2024 Cubitt, T., Morgan, A., & Brown, R. (2024). The overlap between viewing child sexual abuse material and fringe or radical content online. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (708), 1-16.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2024 Cubitt, T., & Morgan, A. (2024). Exposure to and sharing of fringe or radical content online. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (705), 1-17.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2024 Wolbers, H., Cubitt, T., Cahill, M., Ball, M., Hancock, J., Napier, S., & Broadhurst, R. (2024). Drivers and deterrents of child sexual offending: Analysis of offender interactions on the darknet. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (703), 1-16.
DOI Scopus1 WoS3
2024 Morgan, A., Cubitt, T., Voce, A., & Voce, I. (2024). An experimental study of support for protest causes and tactics and the influence of conspiratorial beliefs. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (702), 1-23.
DOI
2024 Cubitt, T. (2024). Does prior misconduct predict drug use by police?. Policing and Society, 34(9), 895-912.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2
2024 Bright, D., Sadewo, G. R. P., Lerner, J., Cubitt, T., Dowling, C., & Morgan, A. (2024). Investigating the Dynamics of Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Co-Offending Networks: The Utility of Relational Hyper Event Models. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 40(3), 445-487.
DOI Scopus17 WoS18
2024 Cubitt, T., & Morgan, A. (2024). Predicting high-harm offending using national police information systems: An application to outlaw motorcycle gangs. AIC Research Reports, (30), iii-39.
DOI
2024 Voce, A., Morgan, A., & Cubitt, T. (2024). Community perceptions of corruption by public officials. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (687), 1-21.
DOI
2024 Teunissen, C., Cahill, M., Napier, S., Cubitt, T., Boxall, H., & Brown, R. (2024). Sexual exploitation of children on dating platforms and experiences of revictimisation as an adult. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (697), 1-16.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3
2024 Cubitt, T., Morgan, A., & Voce, I. (2024). Grievances and conspiracy theories as motivators of anti-authority protests. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (693), 1-16.
DOI Scopus2 WoS3
2024 Morgan, A., Cubitt, T., & Voce, I. (2024). Participation in anti-authority protests and vulnerability to radicalisation. AIC Research Reports, (31), iii-50.
DOI
2024 Bright, D., Sadewo, G., Cubitt, T. I. C., Dowling, C., & Morgan, A. (2024). Co-offending networks among members of outlaw motorcycle gangs across types of crime. Trends in Organized Crime, 27(3), 263-285.
DOI Scopus8 WoS11
2024 Wolbers, H., Cubitt, T., & Morgan, A. (2024). Offense specialization among outlaw motorcycle gang members: Comparing specialization metrics. Journal of Criminal Justice, 95, 102296-1-102296-14.
DOI
2023 Cubitt, T. I. C. (2023). Using Network Analytics to Improve Targeted Disruption of Police Misconduct. Police Quarterly, 26(1), 24-53.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13
2023 Cubitt, T. I. C. (2023). The value of criminal history and police intelligence in vetting and selection of police. Crime Science, 12(1), 12 pages.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5
2023 Cubitt, T. I. C., & Nix, J. (2023). A Multi-Site Study of Firearms Displays by Police at Use of Force Incidents. Police Quarterly, 26(3), 379-408.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5
2023 Cubitt, T. I. C., Napier, S., & Brown, R. (2023). Understanding the Offline Criminal Behavior of Individuals Who Live Stream Child Sexual Abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38(9-10), 6624-6649.
DOI Scopus11 WoS14
2023 Morgan, A., Cubitt, T., & Dowling, C. (2023). Outlaw motorcycle gangs and domestic violence. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (670), 1-17.
DOI Scopus5 WoS2
2023 Wolbers, H., Dowling, C., Cubitt, T., & Kuhn, C. (2023). Understanding and preventing internet-facilitated radicalisation. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (673), 1-17.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3
2023 Cubitt, T., Dowling, C., & Morgan, A. (2023). Crime by outlaw motorcycle gang members during club conflicts. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (667), 1-18.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2022 Cubitt, T. I. C., Gaub, J. E., & Holtfreter, K. (2022). Gender differences in serious police misconduct: A machine-learning analysis of the New York Police Department (NYPD). Journal of Criminal Justice, 82, 101976-1-101976-13.
DOI Scopus17 WoS16
2022 Cubitt, T., & Morgan, A. (2022). Predicting high-harm offending using machine learning: an application to outlaw motorcycle gangs. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (646), 1-18.
DOI Scopus7 WoS3
2021 Cubitt, T. (2021). Effective management of serious police misconduct: A machine learning analysis. TRENDS AND ISSUES IN CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, (633), 1-15.
DOI
2021 Cubitt, T., & Napier, S. (2021). Predicting prolific live streaming of child sexual abuse. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (634), 1-21.
DOI WoS12
2021 Boland, D., Morgan, A., Cubitt, T., & Voce, I. (2021). Effects of outlaw motorcycle gang membership and the support needs of former members. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (614), 1-15.
DOI Scopus8 WoS5
2021 Cubitt, T. I. C., & Birch, P. (2021). A machine learning analysis of misconduct in the New York Police Department. Policing: An International Journal, 44(5), 800-817.
DOI Scopus12 WoS11
2020 Cubitt, T., Wooden, K., Kruger, E., & Kennedy, M. (2020). A predictive model for serious police misconduct by variation of the theory of planned behaviour. Journal of Forensic Practice, 22(4), 251-263.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3
2020 Cubitt, T. I. C., Wooden, K. R., & Roberts, K. A. (2020). A machine learning analysis of serious misconduct among Australian police. Crime Science, 9(1), 22-1-22-13.
DOI Scopus23 WoS21
2018 Cubitt, T. I. C., & Judges, S. J. H. (2018). Show cause analysis: A qualitative assessment of the factors influencing police misconduct from the perspective of the officers who commit it. Policing, 41(6), 782-797.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9
2017 Cubitt, T. I. C., Lesic, R., Myers, G. L., & Corry, R. (2017). Body-worn video: A systematic review of literature. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 50(3), 379-396.
DOI Scopus54 WoS41
2016 Deacon, R. M., Nielsen, S., Leung, S., Rivas, G., Cubitt, T., Monds, L. A., . . . Lintzeris, N. (2016). Alprazolam use and related harm among opioid substitution treatment clients – 12 months follow up after regulatory rescheduling. International Journal of Drug Policy, 36, 104-111.
DOI Scopus15 WoS14 Europe PMC13

Year Citation
2026 Cubitt, T. (2026). Evidence-Based Detection, Management and Prevention of Police Misconduct. Australia: Springer Nature Switzerland.
DOI

Year Citation
2024 Cubitt, T. (2024). Using Financial Transaction Data to Analyse, Detect and Disrupt Technologically Facilitated Crime. In L. Huey, & D. Buil-Gil (Eds.), The Crime Data Handbook (pp. 245-259). Bristol University Press.
DOI
2020 Morgan, A., Brown, R., Voce, I., & Cubitt, T. (2020). Organised and transnational crime. In Australian Policing (pp. 315-331). Routledge.
DOI

Year Citation
2023 Cubitt, T., & Wolbers, H. (2023). Review of violent extremism risk assessment tools in Division 104 control orders and Division 105A post-sentence orders. Australian Institute of Criminology.
2015 Ezard, N., Dolan, K., Baldry, E., Burns, L., Day, C., Hodge, S., . . . Mackay, T. (2015). Feasibility of a Managed Alcohol Program (MAP) for Sydney’s homeless.
- Cubitt, T., Morgan, A., Dowling, C., Bricknell, S., & Brown, R. (n.d.). Targeting fixated individuals to prevent intimate partner homicide: Proposing the Domestic Violence Threat Assessment Centre. Australian Institute of Criminology.
DOI

Year Citation
2021 Cubitt, T. (2021). The risk assessment inventory: Assessing the future misconduct of operational police officers.

Tim coordinates the following courses:

Code Course title
CRIM1001 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CRIM3010 Criminological Research

 

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2026 Co-Supervisor Examining the Criminalisation of Climate Change Activism - Doctorate Full Time Mx Ellie K Turner
2025 Co-Supervisor Disaggregating Extreme-Right Ideological Groups: An Australian Analysis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Aaron Thomas Calbert
2025 Co-Supervisor Disaggregating Extreme-Right Ideological Groups: An Australian Analysis - Doctorate Full Time Mr Aaron Thomas Calbert

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2024 - ongoing Co-Supervisor The influence of “bad apples” on police peer networks: A quasi-experimental study of prospective misconduct prevention methods University of Cambridge Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Morven Brown
2023 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Deterring Police Misconduct: A randomised control trial of in-service strategies to reduce misconduct amongst officers with identified risk factors University of Cambridge Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Paul Tomlinson
2022 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Forecasting police misconduct with Machine Learning University of Cambridge MSt in Applied Criminology and Police Management Master Part Time Morven Brown

Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
2025 - ongoing Board Member Evidence Base: Criminal Justice Research, Policy & Action Taylor & Francis United Kingdom

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